TLDR
- Josh Hokit (9-0) faces Derrick Lewis (29-13) at UFC Freedom 250 on the White House South Lawn Saturday night
- Hokit is a heavy favorite at -425 to -460 depending on sportsbook, with Lewis at +300 to +330
- Lewis was added to the card at President Trump’s personal request due to his knockout style
- Hokit is coming off a unanimous decision win over Curtis Blaydes where he landed 177 strikes
- Lewis holds the UFC record for most knockouts with 16 and is the oldest heavyweight on the roster at 41
Sources: news.sportsinteraction.com | mmajunkie.usatoday.com | sports.yahoo.com | mmamania.com
The UFC’s most unusual event in history features a heavyweight clash between rising contender Josh Hokit and veteran knockout artist Derrick Lewis at UFC Freedom 250 on Saturday. The fight takes place on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C.
Hokit enters as a heavy favorite, with odds ranging from -425 to -460 across different sportsbooks. Lewis is listed as the underdog at +300 to +330.
The event is part of the 250th anniversary of American independence and President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday celebration on Sunday. All fighters on the card were invited specifically for the event.
Hokit’s Rapid Rise Through the Rankings
The 28-year-old Hokit holds a perfect 9-0 record and is ranked fifth in the UFC heavyweight division. The California fighter is 3-0 since joining the UFC.
Hokit earned his spot on this card with a unanimous decision victory over seventh-ranked Curtis Blaydes in April at UFC 327. He landed 177 strikes in that fight, the second-most in a single bout in UFC heavyweight history.
The former Fresno State football and wrestling standout has earned Performance of the Night bonuses in all three of his UFC appearances. He has finished eight of his nine career fights, with five wins by knockout and three by submission.
UFC FREEDOM 250: UP NEXT 🇺🇸
[ #UFCWhiteHouse | JUNE 14 | 8 PM ET on @paramountplus ] pic.twitter.com/fPOFS7JdPI
— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) June 7, 2026
Hokit stands 6-foot-1 with a 73-inch reach. His fights average just 6 minutes and 45 seconds, though his recent bout with Blaydes went the full three rounds.
He lands 9.25 strikes per minute with 62 percent accuracy while absorbing 6.81 strikes with 44 percent defense. His takedown average is 3.89 per 15 minutes with 43 percent accuracy and 75 percent takedown defense.
Lewis Added at Presidential Request
The 41-year-old Lewis was not originally scheduled for this card. President Trump requested that UFC president Dana White add Lewis to the event because of his knockout fighting style.
The addition brought the total number of bouts to seven instead of the originally planned six. Lewis is the oldest heavyweight on the UFC roster and ranks ninth in the division.
Lewis holds the UFC record for most knockouts with 16 and has the second-most overall wins in UFC heavyweight history with 20. Of his 29 career victories, 24 have come by knockout, representing 83 percent of his wins.
The Houston native has a 29-13 record with one no-contest. He is 20-11 in the UFC since joining the organization in 2014.
Lewis had a two-fight winning streak snapped in January with a second-round TKO loss to fourth-ranked Waldo Cortes-Acosta. He stands 6-foot-3 with a 79-inch reach, about six inches more than Hokit.
His fights average 8 minutes and 50 seconds. He lands 2.46 strikes per minute with 49 percent accuracy and absorbs 2.57 with 39 percent defense.
UFC analyst Laura Sanko believes the odds are too wide given Lewis’s power. “The guy has more knockouts than anyone in the history of the organization,” Sanko told MMA Junkie.
Sanko pointed to Lewis’s history of late knockouts, including his finish of Alexander Volkov with five seconds remaining in their fight. “He’s the king of surprises, he’s the king of knockouts and you can’t count a guy like that out,” she said.
The over-under for the fight is set at 1.5 rounds. The main card for UFC Freedom 250 begins at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, with possible rain forecast for the Washington, D.C. area.
